Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/16/2021 - Regular1 AT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE VINTON TOWN COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2021, AT 7:00 P.M. BY ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 15.2-1413, CODE OF VIRGINIA (1950), AS AMENDED, ORDINANCE NO. 1016 AND SECTION 4-0.01(G) OF CHAPTER 1289 OF THE 2020 ACTS OF THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS PRESENT: Bradley E. Grose, Mayor Sabrina McCarty, Vice Mayor Keith N. Liles Laurie J. Mullins Michael W. Stovall STAFF PRESENT: Pete Peters, Town Manager Susan N. Johnson, Executive Assistant/Town Clerk Jeremy Carroll, Town Attorney Anne Cantrell, Finance Director/Treasurer Fabricio Drumond, Police Chief Anita McMillan, Planning & Zoning Director Nathan McClung, Principal Planner The Vinton Town Council meeting was held via Zoom with livestreaming on the Town of Vinton, Virginia Government Facebook Page. The Mayor called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The Town Clerk called the roll with Council Member Liles, Council Member Mullins, Council Member Stovall, Vice Mayor McCarty and Mayor Grose present and announced there was a quorum of Council. The Town Clerk next announced the names of staff and others present, confirmed that the meeting was being held in accordance with Town Ordinance No. 1016 and Section 4-0.01(g) of Chapter 1289 of the 2020 Acts of the Virginia General Assembly and that everyone present was participating by electronic means. Roll call After a Moment of Silence, Council Member Liles led the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. Flag. Under upcoming community events/ announcement, Vice Mayor McCarty announced the following: February 15-28 – Roanoke County Restaurant Weeks, which includes several Vinton restaurants. Council Member Stovall made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented; the motion was seconded by Council Member Liles and carried by the following vote, with all members Approved minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of January 16, 2021; adopted of Resolution No. 2410 appropriating funds in the amount of $4,133.00 received from a 2 voting: Vote 5-0; Yeas (5) – Liles, Mullins, Stovall, McCarty, Grose; Nays (0) – None. property owner for installation of a concrete driveway apron The next item on the agenda was a briefing on the 2021 Roanoke County Real Estate Reassessment. Ken Fay, Director of Roanoke County Real Estate Valuation, reviewed a PowerPoint presentation, which was a part of the agenda package and will be on file in the Town Clerk’s Office as a part of the permanent record. With regard to the increase in median sales prices for single-family residential, Mr. Fay commented that low interest rates and the limited number of supply drove the prices. The combination of these two factors held strong throughout the year even considering the Pandemic. The Town Clerk commented that Council is scheduled to conduct their Public Hearing on the tax rates on April 6, 2021. Pursuant to the State Code any assessment that results in an increase of one percent or more requires that the Notice be given at least 30 days prior to the date of the hearing. The Notice will run in the Vinton Messenger on March 4, 2021. The next item on the agenda was a briefing on the recommendation to issue Request for Proposals (RFPs) for debt funding for Town Capital Projects in the Utility Fund. Anne Cantrell first commented that Council had previously been briefed on some projects in the Finance and Utility Departments and then turned the meeting over to Courtney Rogers with Davenport & Company. Mr. Rogers next reviewed a PowerPoint presentation, which was a part of the agenda package and will be on file in the Town Clerk’s Office as a part of the permanent record. Mr. Rogers commented that the utility system runs very well in terms of operational revenues paying for operations, but when there are capital needs over and above, the Town has had to go back and do rate increases. Over the past five years, we have been able to add to fund balance. In 2013 there was very little cash and one of the goals was to build up the cash to the recommended floor of 180 days to be able to operate for six months if basically no revenues came in with a targeted top end of 270 days. In 2017 we got above the 180 and have been working toward the 270 number. 3 With regard to the tax-exempt interest rates, Mr. Rogers commented that currently the rates are very good. In a timely manner we need to get the Request for Proposal (RFP) out and get the bids back before rates start going up. The bids would be due back March 10, 2021. The benefit of doing a direct bank loan is that the entire process could be completed in 30-45 days. Mr. Rogers requested that Council give a consensus for Davenport to send out the RFPs and bring the results and a recommendation back to Council at the March 16, 2021 meeting. A Public Hearing will also need to held at that meeting. Council gave their consent for Davenport & Company to proceed with the RFPs. Consensus of Council for Davenport & Company to proceed with Request for Proposals for debt funding The next item on the agenda to consider adoption of an Ordinance to amend Article I, In General, of Chapter 62, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, of the Vinton Town Code. Nathan McClung first commented that this is a follow up from the briefing at a previous Council meeting. The amendments relate to how the Town can enforce provisions in the Town Code that deal with grass and storage and accumulation of trash and garbage. The two main changes would be moving to a civil penalty system as opposed to the current process with a provision for a court hearing if someone remains non-complaint. This will allow our Code Enforcement Office to impose fines for violations. The other major change allows the Town to not only charge the property owner, but also charge the occupant of the property for violations. Mr. McClung next reviewed the PowerPoint presentation from the prior briefing, which will be on file in the Town Clerk’s Office as a part of the permanent record. Council Member Mullins made a motion to adopt the Ordinance as presented; the motion was seconded by Council Member Liles and carried by the following roll call vote, with all members voting: Vote 5-0; Yeas (5) – Liles, Mullins, Stovall, McCarty, Grose; Nays (0) – None. Adopted Ordinance No. 1029 amending Article I, In General, of Chapter 62, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, of the Vinton Town Code The next item on the agenda was to consider adoption of a Resolution authorizing the Town Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Roanoke, Town of Vinton, Counties of Roanoke and Botetourt, World Triathlon Corporation and Roanoke Valley 4 Convention and Visitors Bureau for the 2021 Ironman 70.3 Race Support Services. The Town Manager first commented that the Town is participating in the Ironman 70.3, which is scheduled to be held on June 6, 2021. This MOU spells out the arrangement between the local governments and the Triathlon host of the Ironman organization and includes such things as liability protections as well as the reimburse requirement for all direct expenses of the localities hosting the event. A stretch of the cycling will take place in the Town and we will have to provide for traffic control and public safety. Primarily our responsibility will involve the Police in closing the dedicated entrances into the public rights-of-way and protecting the cyclists as they pass through Town. Our Officers will incur overtime and the MOU will provide for reimbursement for those direct expenses. Council Member Stovall made a motion to adopt the Resolution as presented; the motion was seconded by Vice Mayor McCarty and carried by the following roll call vote, with all members voting: Vote 5-0; Yeas (5) – Liles, Mullins, Stovall, McCarty, Grose; Nays (0) – None. The Town Manager further commented now that all of the local governments have approved the MOU, the next planning phase of the event will begin. We will start meeting with the community members and stakeholder groups to make them aware of the impacts of the event and how we can communicate the variations of what roads will be closed and how individuals will be able to navigate around Town. We anticipate that the greatest impact for Town residents and visitors the morning of June 6th will be between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 12 Noon. Adopted Resolution No. 2411 authorizing the Town Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Roanoke, Town of Vinton, Counties of Roanoke and Botetourt, World Triathlon Corporation and Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau for the 2021 Ironman 70.3 Race Support Services The Town Manager commented that in consultation with the Mayor a decision has been made that the State of the Town will be virtual this year. The event was delayed from December to March with anticipation that restrictions would have cleared up with COVID Pandemic by that point, but with the Governor’s restrictions still in place, we do not feel like we can have it in person. RVTV will be doing the production for us with the Chamber participating and the Mayor doing the primary narration of the State of the Town address. The release date, which might vary from the original 5 March 11th date, will be communicated to Council and through all of our social media. With regard to the Gish Mill project, staff continues to meet with the different stakeholder groups and there are a lot of moving pieces and overlapping time lines with this project. A lot of documents have been drafted to guide us through this process over the next several months, which will be brought to Council for their consideration. The Town Manager next commented that staff has received word from the Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) that the Town was not selected for the housing rehabilitation grant. We have not had any feedback from DHCD, but will do a follow-up and will provide that information back to Council. We plan to re- submit our application again during the next grant cycle. The Town Manager announced that an offer has been extended to another Police Officer, Robert Rowell, and Chief Drumond will do an introduction at a future Council meeting. Under Appointments to Boards/Commissions/ Committees, Vice Mayor McCarty made a motion that Meghan Noga be appointed to complete the unexpired term of Justin Davison on the Board of Zoning Appeals beginning February 16, 2021 and ending June 30, 2022 and that Teresa Davis be appointed as an alternate to the Board of Zoning Appeals for a five-year term beginning February 16, 2021 and ending February 15, 2026; the motion was seconded by Council Member Mullins and carried by the following roll call vote, with all members voting: Vote 5-0; Yeas (5) – Liles, Mullins, Stovall, McCarty, Grose; Nays (0) – None. Council Member Mullins made a motion that Henry Cantrell, Wayne Guffey, Sarah Reid and Craig Burch be re-appointed to new three-year terms on the Highway Safety Committee beginning March 6, 2021 and ending March 5, 2024 and that Lee Minnix be appointed to a three-year term beginning March 6, 2021 and ending March 5, 2024; the motion was seconded by Council Member Liles and carried by the following roll call vote, with all members voting: Vote 5-0; Yeas (5) – Liles, Mullins, Stovall, McCarty, Grose; Nays (0) – None. Appointed Meghan Noga to complete the unexpired term of Justin Davison on the Board of Zoning Appeals beginning February 16, 2021 and ending June 30, 2022; appointed Teresa Davis as an alternate to the Board of Zoning Appeals for a five-year term beginning February 16, 2021 and ending February 15, 2026 Re-appointed Henry Cantrell, Wayne Guffey, Sarah Reid and Craig Burch to new three-year terms on the Highway Safety Committee beginning March 6, 2021 and ending March 5, 2024; appointed Lee Minnix to a three-year term beginning March 6, 2021 and ending March 5, 2024 6 The Mayor commented that we still have a vacancy on the RVTV Committee and an alternate position on the Board of Zoning Appeals. He encouraged any citizens who might be interested to complete an application and turn that into the Town Clerk, which is available on the website. The Town Clerk made additional comments concerning the RVTV Committee. Under reports from Council Committees, Anne Cantrell provided a report on the Finance Committee which met on February 8, 2021. Ms. Cantrell next reviewed a PowerPoint presentation, which was a part of the agenda and will be on file in the Town Clerk’s Office as a part of the permanent record. Ms. Cantrell reviewed the December 2020 Financial Report and commented that the Committee reviewed a spreadsheet showing the cash balance throughout the years. Just three years ago we had negative cash in the General Fund at this time of year and now it is at $2 million. Council Member Stovall made a motion to adopt the Resolution as presented; the motion was seconded by Council Member Mullins and carried by the following vote, with all members voting: Vote 5-0; Yeas (5) – Liles, Mullins, Stovall, McCarty, Grose; Nays (0) – None. Approved the December 2020 Financial Report The Mayor expressed appreciation to staff for their hard work especially during the recent weather events. The Mayor next commented on the success of the soft opening for Joe Goodpies, the grand opening of Artworks and expressed appreciation to Debbie Adams on the recent article “Vinton is under Construction” in The Vinton Messenger. The Mayor next commented that he was disappointed at the recent action taken by the General Assembly relating to moving the May elections to November. Comments from Council: Vice Mayor McCarty commented on two Vinton Police Officers that were assisting someone with a disabled vehicle. Council Member Liles commented on the work of the Public Works Department during the recent weather events. Council Member Mullins commented on the RVTV Committee and that they will do a great job with the State of the Town address. Council Member Stovall expressed appreciation to Town staff and commented on the great buzz that is going on in the 7 Town. All Members of Council commented on the recent soft opening of Joe Goodpies. Council Member Liles made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by Vice Mayor McCarty and carried by the following vote, with all members voting: Vote 5-0; Yeas (5) – Liles, Mullins, Stovall, McCarty, Grose; Nays (0) – None. The meeting was adjourned at 8:17 p.m. Meeting adjourned APPROVED: Bradley E. Grose, Mayor ATTEST: ______________________________ Susan N. Johnson, CMC, Town Clerk